The Australian reports the first Newspoll of the year has Labor leading 53-47, compared with 55-45 in the final poll of last year. On the primary vote, the Coalition is up two to 37%, Labor is down three to 38%, the Greens are steady on 9% and One Nation are down one to 6%. Scott Morrison leads 43-36 on preferred prime minister, down from 44-36, and is down two on approval to 40% and up two on disapproval to 47%. Bill Shorten’s net rating is reported at minus 13%, compared with minus 15% in the last poll – we will have to wait for later to see his exact approval and disapproval ratings. The poll was conducted Thursday to Sunday from a sample of 1634.
UPDATE: Shorten is up a point on approval to 37% and down one on disapproval to 50%.
Matthias Cormann is in Albany next week at the invitation of the local member hosting a forum for seniors to talk about “retiree savings and investment properties”. No prizes for guessing what the real topic of conversation will be about.
Congats, Behrouz Boochani and all winners and nominees for the Victorian literature awards.
Quick question.
Has anyone here actual read it? 🙂
Confessions @ #1850 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 8:08 pm
You give them an inch… they’ll take a mile.
The Shorten/Bowen inability to sell their policy is transparent to everyone.
The weed only has to grow close to a live bit of metal, an arc forms and the weed turns into carbon which is highly conductive. The surge in current trips the circuit breaker.
Mind you, this is exactly the worst case for the maintenance people. Some weeds grow quickly. We’ve had hot weather and storms so it wouldn’t take more than a few weeks growth.
Might we be better off moving over time (would have to be a decade or more) to a retirement income system where we pay everyone who has attained pension age the full pension, an amount upon which someone could live in frugal comfort, include it in the person’s taxable income and withdraw ALL tax concessions for super.
Of course to do so would be to admit that Paul Keating’s vision has been wrecked beyond repair, converted into yet another tax dodge for the rich.
Certainly explains why so many GM plants were elsewhere (Mexico for example)
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/01/polar-vortex-shuts-11-gm-auto-plants-michigan/
Steve
Costello and Howard just couldn’t help themselves handing out gifts to retirees. And the Budget is paying for it big time.
I agree with the basic principle of what you suggest.
There are many, many people out there who used tax breaks to accumulate retirement funds and now get bigger tax breaks to build greater wealth even after they have retired.
I don’t think that’s what Keating envisaged at all.
steve777: “Might we be better off moving over time (would have to be a decade or more) to a retirement income system where we pay everyone who has attained pension age the full pension, an amount upon which someone could live in frugal comfort, include it in the person’s taxable income and withdraw ALL tax concessions for super. Of course to do so would be to admit that Paul Keating’s vision has been wrecked beyond repair, converted into yet another tax dodge for the rich.”
This iss an extremely good idea that was put forward at the time of Paul Keating’s superannuation reforms by Eva Cox: a commentator with whom I have often disagreed, but she was right on this one.
I think the way to go would have been to pay a base rate of pension to everyone, and then have a substantial supplement that was only payable to people over a certain age (70?) and/or who were incapacitated and who could demonstrate that they had no wealth or other potential sources of income.
Working people could then know that they would become eligible for the base rate of pension when they retired, and could then seek to supplement that by accumulating as much wealth as possible without any form of government subsidy.
I think that, as a nation, we’ve now gone too far down the superannuation pathway ever to switch to this sort of system. Alas.
Re Confessions @ 8:08PM: “Matthias Cormann is in Albany next week at the invitation of the local member hosting a forum for seniors to talk about “retiree savings and investment properties”. No prizes for guessing what the real topic of conversation will be about.”
Could local Labor branches try to ‘stack’ these events, sending members and supporters, preferably aged over 55, to ask pertinent questions, for example “Why are refunding tax people didn’t pay?”, ” Why don’t we boost the pension instead of subsidising wealthy retirees with lots of shares / super?”, “why do we subsidise property speculation, which puts home prices out of reach of young home buyers?” etc.
Barney
Safe travels and do not be a stranger to PB.
Cheers
Puffy
Too true.
there is a structural problem when those trained to be weapons are allowed to run in the wild.
“When ‘former’ spies run wild, bad things happen”:
https://www.moonofalabama.org/
Steve777:
I am seriously thinking about going along for those reasons.
I should add that the problem is that in the past when they’ve had these events they are during the day on weekdays which preclude working people from attending. If I went I’d have to take time off work.
swamprat
says:
Thursday, January 31, 2019 at 7:45 pm
I believe Anna Bligh was a member of the Labor Left!!!
________________________________
After building up a solid housing investment portfolio as Member, Minister and Premier, it’s now time to get the really good cream at the ABA. The $150k a year pension from Queensland is just spending money.
“Nowadays, there is no discernible difference between the factions. They exist only as grubby job-creation schemes for those within the factions, who would, metaphorically speaking, kill their own mother to become an MP and, from there, a millionaire ,then later, if you are halfway smart, a multimillionaire.”
Marcus L’Estrange
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/branch-stacking-and-dirty-tricks-in-melbourne-ports,12097
PR genius.
Re Confessions @ 8:28 Pm. It is difficult for people with 9 to 5 type jobs (more like 8 to 6 for many these days) plus other responsibilities to attend anything during business hours. I was just putting the idea out there. Hopefully some retired Labor members could attend.
Gold-plated weeds are more electrically conductive.
steve777: “Could local Labor branches try to ‘stack’ these events, sending members and supporters, preferably aged over 55, to ask pertinent questions, for example “Why are refunding tax people didn’t pay?”, ” Why don’t we boost the pension instead of subsidising wealthy retirees with lots of shares / super?”, “why do we subsidise property speculation, which puts home prices out of reach of young home buyers?” etc.”
But, with respect, perhaps not precisely these questions.
All dividend imputation – whether provided as a cash rebate or a tax rebate- could be said to represent a “refund” of “tax people didn’t pay”. Cormann could respond by asking why Labor is targeting only one form and not the other.
By no means are all people receiving dividend imputation as a cash rebate “wealthy” and have “lots of shares/super.” And there are plenty of people with lots of super – including retired politicians on pensions of $200k per annum or more – who are paying no tax now and wouldn’t be paying any more under Labor’s policies.
And, if negative gearing and CGT are to blame for the surge in house prices in recent years, then why are house prices now crashing dramatically in most parts of Australia, even though the same neg gearing and CGT arrangements are still in place?
I predicted last year that Labor’s big target tax policies were going to be a hard sell come election time, and so they are proving. Hawke and Keating didn’t try to introduce major tax reforms until after they had made significant progress in government in gaining the trust of the business sector and the broader electorate. The last two political leaders before Shorten who went into elections promising more taxes were Howard, who all but repeated Scullin’s achievement of losing government after only one term in office, and Hewson, who lost the “unloseable election” in 1993.
i was bored with all the trolling on PB today. So, I went down to Ikea and bought a book!
Greensborough Growler @ #1866 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 4:54 pm
Did it come with monkeys? 🙂
Michael Pachi, 2GB’s parliamentary reporter (of sorts), said that the libs would win one of the two ALP seats in the Super Saturday elections and that Sharma would win Wentworth. He says these things to please the shockjocks.
He predicts that the libs will win all of Flinders, Kooyong and Warringah so, basically, they are in trouble.
A sober analysis by AAP
“Scott Morrison and his team are spending a lot of time talking about something that doesn’t exist.
The so-called “retiree tax” is not a tax on retirees.
But coalition figures are constantly bringing it up because they’re taking advantage of an understandable confusion about a complex but important handout.
The focus on Labor’s dividend imputation changes could be the coalition acknowledging it needs to save the furniture before a wipeout at the federal election.
In the aftermath of the August leadership spill there were still plenty of Liberals who thought the coalition could retain government, despite the polls.
They’re harder to find now, and the recent frontbench retirements show confidence isn’t particularly high.
Many older voters who usually vote for the coalition abandoned the Liberals and Nationals following the Turnbull spill.
Many of them want the coalition to do more on climate change. Many have solar panels on their roofs.
“A lot of the victims of the banks have been older Australians,” Bill Shorten helpfully pointed out too, before the royal commission’s report is released on Monday.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/pm-fighting-rearguard-action-to-save-votes/news-story/efcf9365fc6eca452db0ae790b68d1bd
Were I to attend the forum, the question I’d be asking why is Malcolm Turnbull no longer Prime Minister.
If given a second shot at a question I’d ask why Rick Wilson and Matthias Cormann voted to change the leadership.
KayJay @ #1805 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 6:36 pm
Now, my dear fellow, we must consider our life goals.
Anyone who is looking forward to a colonoscopy must think about what constitutes pain and pleasure, and whether they have made the right life choices.
Certainly they may well be the same or inextricably intertwined in certain circles, but I doubt that includes you and me.
I sincerely hope that for you, as for me the last time, there will be no ‘complications’.
However I am seriously considering winging it for the foreseeable future. Which we, at our ‘of a certain age’, means diddley squat.
I did some mowing today, and got a lot of spraying of edges done as well. Curse the thistles and purslane and mullein, may they rot. Which they will, with the blessing of roundup.
I had my morning walk before starting, and am feeling virtuous as a result.
At this stage, that makes it a good day.
In fact, as we have already discussed, any day you don’t wake up dead is by definition a good day.
Give ’em heaps, never give a sucker an even break, and kick ’em while they’re down is my motto!
Barney in Go Dau @ #1850 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 8:09 pm
You can take it as a given that nobody reads any book given a literature award, apart from the judges. The human psyche can take only so much.
I reckon we need a new political party: Prison for Politicians.. The PP Party!!
The current bunch of thieves are supporting an ecological catastrophe.
The politicians of one of the richest countries in the world are quite happy with thousands of their fellow citizens being homeless, expensive and unequal education, slave labour with insecure employment, giving away our resources for nothing, importing unrestricted cheap labour, native species extermination, cowtowing to foreign overlords….
We need citizen juries, we need politicians being made answerable to them.
We need gaol for miscreant politicians.
We need legal requirement for truthful reporting.
We need to restore public ownership of basic services delivered, not for profit, but for community access.
We need a fairer electoral system that results in a Parliament that reflects all voters preferences.
Neither major Party that gave us Murray Darling destruction , that have sold off our public services to profiteers, that sell our birthright to foreign empires are fit for purpose.
The Chartists that were transported to Australia for their desire for a Parliament answerable to the people gave us much.
We must complete their work.
don
Those pain phenomena are part of the Melzack-Wall Gate Theory of Pain. I don’t know if that theory has been superseded.
KayJay
Flicking the skin doesn’t work if you have to infiltrate local anaesthetic. The pain comes from fluid pressure so thinner needles are better and the pH of the local which is quite acidic.
And you all though Bushfire Bill was crazy (not me, of course)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-31/mh370-underwater-microphones-suggest-alternate-crash-site/10767550?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=%5bnews_sfmc_newsmail_pm_df_!n1%5d%3a8935&user_id=ac0f9f6ffa5e4c78bea1da04e07962926aed2da4e755d948a3e6be6704484bd3&WT.tsrc=email&WT.mc_id=Email%7c%5bnews_sfmc_newsmail_pm_df_!n1%5d%7c8935ABCNewsmail_topstories_articlelink
These are the places where the parliamentary committee “to inquire into the implications of removing refundable franking credits” has held (or is scheduled to hold) public meetings.
Is it possible to discern any relationship between the location of the meetings and electorates where the Coalition might be vulnerable (i.e. it’s a furniture saving exercise)?
20 Nov 2018 Sydney, NSW
22 Nov 2018 East Melbourne , VIC
30 Nov 2018 Dee Why, NSW
29 Jan 2019 Townsville City, QLD
30 Jan 2019 Alexandra Headland, QLD
30 Jan 2019 Paddington, QLD
31 Jan 2019 Eight Mile Plains, QLD
31 Jan 2019 Upper Coomera, QLD
04 Feb 2019 Merimbula, NSW
08 Feb 2019 Chatswood, NSW
08 Feb 2019 Bondi Junction, NSW
(presumably other places will be scheduled EDIT ADD: now that it’s fairly certain the election won’t be until May?)
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Economics/FrankingCredits/Public_Hearings
citizen @ #1823 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 7:07 pm
Last drinks at Menindee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVmbDASq1ws
Re Meher @ 8:53 PM. Thank you.
Re Dividend imputation, the company paying the dividend has paid tax on the income behind that dividend and someone who receives a dividend pays the balance if their marginal tax rate is higher than the company tax rate (you know that of course). If their marginal tax rate is lower, they pay no tax on the divided. That’s how Labor should present it.
Re people who receive imputation credits, if these are worth $1,000 p.a, they have about $2,700 in annual dividend income and a share portfolio worth about $50,000. Not rich, but if they have a part pension, they’ll not lose the benefit (even though they should in my opinion).
Re people having lots of super, they should pay tax on the income portion (an actuary can calculate), as they did prior to 2007. Labor haven’t got around to that reform – yet. But it has to be done.
Re the surge and crash in house prices, I believe that this is the result of a corrupted market, a gigantic Ponzi scheme, which negative gearing helped fuel.
Still, Labor’s tax policies are “courageous”, as per Yes Minister. The alternative would have been to do what the Liberals do, hide the nasties and lie. Hopefully Labor can win with these policies, then really go about repairing the revenue base in office when it has gained trust.
lizzie @ #1808 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 6:43 pm
You don’t say! I didn’t notice that. How remiss of me. I should have asked you first. I shall try to do better next time.
Barney in Go Dau @ #1868 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 8:58 pm
The Qwert Yuiop order of the Catholic Church couldn’t tolerate that!
Cancer Council Aust.
Verified account @CancerCouncilOz
7h7 hours ago
Replying to @1WiseGamer
Hi @XXXXXXXXX, discussions in QLD around franking credits reflect some local donor concerns, Cancer Council has no position on the matter. Our interests are solely in public investment in cancer. Please see our full statement here: https://cancer.org.au/cancer-council-australia-position-on-non-health-public-policy-issues.html …
LOL Hiding behind shields.
I got a response from my email the national body of the Cancer Council. They moved a couple of steps to the side referring to the Sovereign state body. Then kind of did a better spin than Qld Cancer Council themselves did arguing that the submission wasn’t really on behalf of the Qld Cancer Council, but rather on behalf of their filthy rich donors. Which of course it was because they won’t get any more or less the question is whether or not the filthy rich donors get anything.
Then a lot of PR fluff about being delighted to work with either side of Govt.
Didn’t bother responding but certainly didn’t undo the brand damage, will be avoiding all Council Council donations and endorsed products, you can never be sure when they’ll actually be working at their mission or using their brand to further their filthy rich donors personal wealth.
The Cancer Council are feeling the heat. Lie down with dogs, etc.
Steve777:
To be honest this electorate is very safe coalition so I’d reckon the people who turn up to a Lib sponsored Labor whinge fest would be rusted on Liberal voters to begin with.
And it’s easy pickings for the Liberals here, as we have a greater percentage of our population who are seniors.
Diogenes @ #1875 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 9:21 pm
Don’t care, works for me!
KayJay
Flicking the skin doesn’t work if you have to infiltrate local anaesthetic. The pain comes from fluid pressure so thinner needles are better and the pH of the local which is quite acidic.
I do not wish to know that. Leave me with my illusions. It certainly works for an ordinary vaccination, I can attest to that.
Hmmm, thank you, so that is why the cortisone injection kept on keeping on in terms of discomfort last week. Dr Google says it is buffered to pH 3.5
Confessions @ #1884 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 9:36 pm
Aren’t these things which are organised by the Liberal Party, invitation only?
And it is not how it works you don’t have Tim Wilson and Nath dancing around waving the cancer council flag in their dishonest partisan taxpayer funded trolling in the election campaign and then get to say your brand wasn’t involved. The Cancer Council Qld put their brand on the floor and Tim Wilson and nath pissed on it in partisan delight.
Zoidlord @ #1881 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 6:31 pm
Wow that’s a cop out. I’d love to know what the WA Cancer Council thinks about this.
WA has form in ‘seceding’ from peak bodies: the WA branch of Alzheimer’s Aust ‘seceded’ after the national body wanted to strip us of key regional services (one beloved and functional service in Albany), and centralise certain elements. The WA board at the time voted instead to go it alone rather than hand over assets to Canberra (or more likely Sydney).
Zoidlord @ #1881 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 9:31 pm
So, if they have no interest in franking credits, why did they turn up? Why not leave it to their wealthy donors to squeal like stuck pigs instead?
I can see this taxpayer-funded Franking Credits roadshow turning into a debacle for the Coalition.
Situation normal for ScheMo, in other words. 😀
C@tmomma @ #1886 Thursday, January 31st, 2019 – 6:39 pm
No the ones that have been held here over the years are all free and open. You have to RSVP, presumably for catering, but it is open to anyone and has a quarter page advert in the local weekly free community newspaper.
And I misquoted. This is a seminar for “self-funded retirees and other interested investors”.
So who was doing all the trolling on PB today? I’ve hardly been here. Or shouldn’t I ask? 😆
I would have too, but looking over their site their email us function is incredibly funnelled and it didn’t really look like they wanted to be contacted. So I contacted the national body and assumed the WA body was very happy to be in a small hot car with Tim Wilson, nath and Scomo and the Qld body as they drove off a cliff, if the national body didn’t respond adequately and the national body did not.
If this was a not for profit doing this to the LNP in the leadup to an LNP election victory, they wouldn’t exist at all within two years.
This is a seminar for “self-funded retirees and other interested investors”.
Well, you should cast around for someone who doesn’t mind the changes to go along. 🙂
If this was a not for profit doing this to the LNP in the leadup to an LNP election victory, they wouldn’t exist at all within two years.
Exackerly! Where’s ‘The Charities and Not For Profits Commission’ when you REALLY need them!?!
Oh, that’s right, it’s just another attack dog set up by the Coalition, with taxpayers’ $, to get GetUp! 🙄
A few weeks ago I came across an old Cancer Council collection tin at work, which had been overlooked for some years, judging from the phone numbers on it.
It was a large tin, and obviously contained a reasonable amount of money, judging by it’s weight.
I took it upon myself, in the middle of a busy day, to look up their current phone number and ring their local office to arrange for its collection, which they quickly arranged.
Today, I would have left the bloody thing where it was.
Kevin Bonham indicating the Greens may struggle in the Tasmanian heartland at the coming Federal election.
https://outline.com/DYkb7M